


Knowing Justice

by Katherine



Category: The Praise Singer - Mary Renault
Genre: Dogs, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-02
Updated: 2012-07-02
Packaged: 2017-11-09 01:36:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/449807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katherine/pseuds/Katherine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Theasides had a pup of his own that year.</p>
<p>From <em>The Praise Singer</em><br/><em>I thought of him as a child, crying when our father had his young dog killed for sheep-chasing</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	Knowing Justice

**Author's Note:**

> From _The Praise Singer_ Samos, chapter 2, while Simonides is watching his brother Theasides:  
>  _I thought of him as a child, crying when our father had his young dog killed for sheep-chasing_

Theasides had a pup of his own that year.

The pup was one of the farm dogs, not one to be let into the house at night. Unlike I, who Theasides felt he'd rescued and kept beside him, the pup did not need the warmth of the bed. He had his mother, and two other pups in the same litter to keep him company.

One of the pups of the litter, less hardy, did not live long, but the other remained. Theasides and I, on seeing that one around the farm, would compare him to the pup in Theasides' care. Both grew fast from pup to young dog, but Theasides' seemed in better form.

 

It was one of the thralls, not either of us boys, who saw the young dog chasing the sheep. Theasides, I believe, would have made the alarm himself, had he seen the deed. He was always noble at heart, and knowing justice.

The thrall had of course not hesitated to bring the news to Leoprepes; his charge was the health of the flocks, not any child's feelings, even those of the master's heir.

 

Our father considered, before putting down the other pup as well. He might have been a good dog; but his brother might have taught him already to be a worse one.

My brother turned away with me to weep in secret. Only later would we be able to be comforted by the knowledge of justice.


End file.
